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From academia to becoming a Shop Directioner

From academia to becoming a Shop Directioner

25 October 2017

Abstract

After completing his PhD in computer vision and machine learning, George Cushen took a job as the first computer vision data scientist at the UK's second largest pureplay etailer, Shop Direct. Here, he examines the challenges and parallels between working on academic projects as a computer scientist, and working as a data scientist in a mid-size retail company. Having the opportunity to work within an agile startup-like environment within a well-established business requires breaking the habit of spending hours researching and not getting anything "done", instead working closely with stakeholders and embracing the scope for innovation in order to create practical products and services. So here are some lessons learnt about the differences between academia and industry and how to make the most out of your academic experience.

A Data Scientist, Vision Engineer, & Product Enthusiast

I'm a data scientist and computer vision engineer passionate about deep learning, augmented reality, and internet of things. In my spare time, I enjoy CrossFit and open source. Follow me on twitter to be notified of new content.